The Rams are looking to get on the winning track at home. Ram Archives
By Sam Belden
After enduring a string of wet and cold weather conditions, Fordham’s baseball team finally was greeted by warm weather as it prepared for Sunday’s doubleheader at Stony Brook. After all was said and done, the teams split the two games, and the Rams had their first victory since beating Georgia Tech at the Atlanta Challenge nearly a month ago.
In the first contest of the day, Fordham was defeated by a score of 6-1, but hours later, its offense perked up, finishing the day with a 9-6 win.
“It was great to see the guys bounce back after a tough loss in game one,” said head coach Kevin Leighton. “The guys played really well, and watching them come through in the clutch and execute was fun.”
The Rams forged an early lead in the first game when sophomore rightfielder Mark Donadio connected for an RBI single in the top of the third inning, extending his hit streak to nine games. It was their final run. Stony Brook southpaw Tyler Honahan settled in from there, leaving the game with six innings pitched and one earned run to his name. Meanwhile, the Rams’ pitchers never settled in on the mound. Junior starter Brett Kennedy gave up four earned runs in four innings and took his fourth consecutive loss. His reliever, sophomore Kirk Haynes, finished the game, surrendering two runs in four innings.
Less than an hour later, the two teams squared off again. Fordham quickly took control when junior third baseman Ian Edmiston smacked a bases-loaded single in the first inning, good for two RBIs. In the second, however, Stony Brook turned a similar trick, loading the bases and matching its opponent with two runs in the frame. With the game tied, the Rams made another statement with a rally in the top of the third. Junior catcher Charlie Galiano put Fordham back in the driver’s seat by knocking in junior second baseman Joe Runco, who had led off the inning with a double. Next, Edmiston laid down a squeeze bunt to score sophomore first baseman Matthew Kozuch. Junior leftfielder Ryan McNally then reached base on an error, allowing Galiano to cross the plate before the side was retired. In the bottom of the inning, junior starter Jimmy Murphy gave up another run, his third of the game.
Midway through the fourth, Murphy left the game. Sophomore Greg Weissert entered as his replacement and delivered a standout performance, lasting four and two thirds innings without allowing a run. While Stony Brook was held scoreless, the Rams built off of their two run lead. In the fifth, Edmiston blasted a double down the left field line, scoring Galiano. Two innings later, Galiano and Edmiston were at it again, each contributing an RBI in the seventh frame. Fordham’s last run crossed the plate in the ninth inning when sophomore designated hitter Ryan Mahoney hit a double to center field, scoring Kozuch. In the bottom of the inning, Stony Brook rallied and scored three runs off of junior pitcher Joe Serrapica, but they were unable to complete the rally, and Fordham claimed its three run victory.
The victory put a stop to the team’s eight game losing streak. Prior to the doubleheader, Fordham spent the past three weekends on the road, squared off against two ranked teams and had managed to win just one game.
“We came together and played mistake-free,” said Donadio. “If we play the way we did [in the second game] we will be in good shape for the rest of the season. It gave us confidence. If we keep up this level of play, we’ll pick up a lot more wins.”
Edmiston was the biggest contributor to the Rams on Sunday. His five RBIs paced the team, and, having successfully initiated a squeeze play, he displayed finesse as well as power.
“Ian had a great day at the plate for us and came through in the clutch, which is a great sign,” said Leighton. “He is a scrappy, hard-nosed player who rubs off on the guys.”
This week, the Rams are at home. They will be playing five games against schools from around the northeast, including a rematch against Stony Brook, two against Sacred Heart, one against Delaware and one against UMass Lowell. The team is hopeful that playing more home games will yield more victories.
“Losing those games early against some really good teams was tough, but we took a lot away from those games, and I think we will be better for it,” said Leighton. “This team fights, and that’s all we can ask from them.”
